Working Girl
by theycallmemichelle
Summary: Whe upper-class girl Serena is forced to move out of her elite hometown, Style City, she moves to a sleepy town called Moontown, and must work for a living along with paying her new mortgage. Someone kill her, please? Story better than summary. Really.
1. Meet Serena, daaahling!

**A/N Disclaimer: I do not own Animal Crossing. Nor did I create Moontown or any of the characters (besides Serena). Thanks to Lune Of the Moon (my beta) for letting me use Moontown and Janie! Check out her Animal Crossing story, _Everything Changes_!**

Style City

Maelle's House

November 2nd

"No way!" Maelle screeched, a wicked grin on her face.

"Totally, she was actually wearing diamonds during the day!" I repeated, just as shocked.

"Who was it?" she begged to know. Most likely planning to spread rumors about the culprit faster than peanut butter.

"Pinky! Y'know, that hyper bear next-door?" I replied giddily, jerking my head in the direction of the style-deprived panda.

"Oh my god! The one that always says 'wah' and 'leaping lollipops'?" Maelle confirmed. I nodded rapidly. "Freak," she snorted, leaning back and patting her red bob hair-cut.

I smoothed my own pink pigtails self-consciously. Maelle's hair was the perfect shade of red, which she matched just as well with a lime green eye shadow. She topped it off with a pink-and-red shirt with a heart on it. Add a ton of hairspray to her dark yellow feathers and voila! Perfection.

Like I said, I had pink pigtails, light brown eyes, and an average human body. I preferred to wear my citrus-orange shirt with polka dots on it. I could never compare to Maelle.

"So, are you going to the coffee shop tonight?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Deffy. Everyone's _duh-ying_ to hear K.K's new song, duckling! Have you heard the title yet?" Maelle demanded, leaning in closer and widening her black eyes at me.

"Um…" I contemplated, even though I already knew the answer; no. But then Maelle would scold me for eternity. _"Everyone knows the title, Serena! Leave it to you to forget the hottest thing right now since, well, me!" _she'd say. "Do you?" I decided to say.

"No way! Last time we heard of K.K, he swore not to tell until tonight! I just thought you might know, that's all…" Maelle shrugged, looking away and twirling a strand of hair absentmindedly.

"Why?" I demanded, suddenly bearing a fierce expression. We were in Maelle's house, with her mannequins adorned with all the latest styles along one wall. On the south wall was her kitchen furniture; table, chairs, cabinets; on the west wall was her Egyptian Cotton 1000 thread-count bed along with a plush sofa and beanbag chairs. On the north wall were signed pictures of all her closest friends; Opal, Eloise, Monique, Ally, Pecan, and me in the center: I was her best friend, a coveted spot craved for by all.

"Oh, no reason…" Maelle insisted, but didn't meet my eyes. I glared up at her (I was sitting on the beanbag while she sat on the sofa with the higher level—of course), and she sighed, giving in.

"Okay, so this _rumor_ has been going around that you and K.K are secretly having an affair. Which is totally uncool since Monique so totally has a crush on him—you didn't hear _that_ one from me—so anyway, we all thought you of all people'd know, y'know?" Maelle quickly explained, speeding her speech up at the worst parts.

"Me and K.K in an _affair_!?" I shrieked, gaping wildly at the preposterous assumption. No way! It was already obvious that Monique had a thing for him, but now that Maelle let it slip, I finally had something to rub her yucky face in. Then I realized something.

"Is that why Monique's been ignoring me for, like, ever?" I gasped, regarding the past few months when Monique had done everything in her power to try and make my life as miserable as can be.

"Yeah," Maelle nodded. "I didn't want to tell you, though, 'cause y'know, you're like my BFF and everything. But now that you so totally don't have a thing for K.K, Mon will be so psyched! She could never be mad at you after that."

"I hope so." I sighed.

Maelle reached a wing out and padded my hand timidly. "Trust me. So…are you sure you don't know that title?" she teased.

"Actually, now that you mention it…I do! I'm pretty sure it's _Maelle my Belle_!" I taunted wickedly, fighting back a laugh.

Maelle made a face. "Ugh. Please be kidding."

I shook my head, "Don't worry. I'm sure Mon won't be _that_ mad!" I giggled.

"Serena, you are _so_ impossible!" Maelle screeched, grinning, as she threw a pillow at me.

Style City

Coffee Shop

November 2nd

"He's looking at you."

"Pffft, is not!"

"Yes, he is! Look…! No, don't, you'll look desperate!"

"What do I do, then?"

"Go talk to him!…Not when he's looking, duh!"

"Okay…is he looking?"

"Yeah."

"Pffft…Now?"

"No! Go, go, go!"

"Here goes nothing…" Monique whimpered as she stood up slowly, turning and reluctantly walking over to K.K, who was taking a break and previously staring at the back of her white ears.

"Graaaagh, young love…" Ally the alligator sighed wistfully as she watched Monique flirt with K.K enviously.

"Don't worry, chipmunk, you'll totally find your soul mate soon!" Pecan the chipmunk tittered sportingly and patting Ally on the arm.

"Alfonso is so in love with you, toots!" Opal the elephant added.

"He just…doesn't know it yet, snoot!" Eloise guffawed, her trunk concaving in and out.

"At least Ally has a nice guy she can crush on…I'm stuck with Filbert and Static!" Pecan shuddered at the thought of the lazy and cranky chipmunks in the neighborhood.

"Well, Serena's got nobody…" Maelle whispered so low that I could barely hear it. But I did anyway.

"Huh? Did you say my name?" I acted dumb, looking around the table and receiving shaking heads.

"Dizzy's already been to my house _twice_," Opal giggled.

"Yeah? Well, Big Top was my date to the fish tournament!" Eloise retorted.

"Toots, keep your trunk shut!"

"Why don't you, snoot?"

Pecan, Maelle, Ally, and I rolled our eyes and turned away from the beginning argument the two elephant sisters had weekly.

"So, Maelle, who do _you_ like?" Pecan asked curiously.

"Well, duckling, I've been talking to Bill for awhile…"

"And…?" I prompted.

"He had his roommate Joey deliver a picture of him to my house this morning!" Maelle chirped happily.

"Wow!" Pecan squealed.

"Then why wasn't the pic in your room this afternoon?" I asked suspiciously.

"I just…hadn't put it in yet," Maelle quipped. Her face was turning red and she didn't look me in the eyes.

"Bluffer," I coughed loudly, bringing back the attention of the fuming elephants.

"So, Serena, who do you have a crush on—oh…um, never mind." Pecan began cruelly. She very well knew there weren't any human boys in Style City.

"I'll be right back," I scoffed, ignoring the nasty comment the best I could as I walked up to the bar to grab a coffee cup. I looked to my right and saw Filbert, the lazy chipmunk with a crush on Pecan.

"Hi, Serena!" he chattered annoyingly.

"Um, hey, Filbert…" I began awkwardly. Then I had an idea. "Hey, Filbert, I was just talking to Pecan"—his eyes lit up—"…and she was saying how much she wishes you'd ask her to dance!" I lied.

"Wow! Really?" Filbert gasped, glancing at a gossiping Pecan back at our table.

"Totally," I gushed. I was sure good at this acting stuff!

"Hmmm…okay. Well, see you later, Serena! And…thanks, bucko!" Filbert thanked, waving timidly and then stalking over to our table with his eyes on Pecan.

Three, two, one…

"Oh, um….okay, then…?" I heard Pecan mutter as Filbert asked her to dance. They walked to the dance floor—more like Filbert dragged her—as K.K started his music up.

I waved at Pecan when she met my eyes, grinning widely and winking. Pecan just glared at me. _Must destroy! _Her eyes said. I'd like to see her try…

Style City

Serena's House

November 3rd

"Pecan's totally mad at you for last night," Maelle informed me as we walked from her house to mine.

"Let her," I simply said as I opened my flowered umbrella to block the blinding sunlight.

"Y'know, if people keep getting mad at you, your reputation will totally nose-dive!" Maelle sputtered. "I mean, like, the minute Monique forgave you, you got Pecan all mad! You, duckling, have a serious problem," she continued as she looked at a new shirt she had bought at Able Sisters.

"Whatevs," I sighed as we passed Pecan's house. She was outside, watering her flowers, when she looked up and glowered at me. "Take a picture, it'll last longer!" I shouted, blowing a kiss at her.

"Serena!" Maelle gasped as I quickened my pace.

I ignored her. So what if Maelle wanted to scold me for pissing off Pecan? Maybe Pecan deserved this.

"Serena-_ah_!" she continued to call, trying not to trip as she followed me. Ignored. "SERENA!" she screamed.

I gave in and whirled around to a stop, almost crashing into Maelle. "What???" I screeched impatiently as she neaten her mussed hair.

"It looks like somebody's moving into your house!" she gasped, pointing a tangled wing at my house up the road.

I turned, confused, and gasped at the horrifying sight beholding me; My lovely brick house was being ransacked by moving vans and movers galore! They were handling my precious furniture and wheeling them into trucks and wheeling totally different furniture in! What was going on?

"Excuse me! _Ex-kuh-yoos_ me!" I trilled as a stomped over to the mover that looked in charge. He was a bulldog (of course).

"Sorry, ma'am, this is a private property," The bulldog said, blocking my entrance with an outstretched paw.

"Says who?" Maelle snorted with her wings crossed as she stepped in beside me.

"The owner of the house," He answered matter-of-factly.

"And who is that?" I demanded with a tapping foot.

"Barbara Sheep," The bulldog replied with a glance at his record-clipboard.

I gasped. "This is _my_ house!"

Just then a well-dressed duck wearing glasses stepped forward holding an official-looking briefcase. "Derrrr…oh, right, my name is Darwin, attorney-at-law—Barbara's, to be exact. I understand that, derrrrr…um, you have failed to pay any portion of your mortgage in over six months! So, um…derrrr…here's a note from Barbara herself…to, uh, clear things up?" he handed me an envelope marked "To Whom it May Concern".

Maelle was practically breathing down my neck as I tore it apart. It said…

_To Whom It May Concern:_

_I loaned you the money to pay for this house, like, a year ago! Normally I wouldn't care about such things like money (I'm too rich!), daaahling, but I've gotten pretty bored of "Moontown". So when my daaahling friend Pecan contacted me saying that you've been, like, so totally lazy with the whole mortgage, I'm moving to Style City, daaahling! But don't worry—you'll be living with my old roommate, Janie. Snore. Anyways, of course, since I don't want to have to deal with the whole mortgage thing with you again, not only will you be helping Janie pay off HER mortgage, you'll be working for Tom Nook, the owner of the local department store, Nookington's. He has a daaaaahling wife named Harriet or something that owns the hair-salon, Shampoodle! Moontown really is a daaaahling place to live…sort of. Okay, no, it isn't, but Pecan says that a daaaahling girl like you'd love Moontown! Lots of people are like you! 'Specially Twiggy. Total wannabe, but like I mentioned…Pecan said you'd fit right in, daaahling. Therefore, I'll be taking your house in Style City and you'll be taking my place in Moontown. Oh, and don't worry, daaaahling…even though Pecan told me how poor you sort of were, I have no hard feelings! Pecan might, though…_

_TTFN, daaahling,_

_~Barbara Sheep_

_P.S By the way, daaahling, I'll need to take some bells from you to pay off what's left of MY mortgage. And by some, I mean all of them. Xoxo, daaahling!_

"All this just because she danced with Filbert?" I gasped, horrified by the astounding message. My worst nightmares were about to come, however.

"You're _poor_!" Maelle realized, her voice rising an octave. "I paid my mortgage _months_ ago! What's your deal, Serena? Lying _definitely_ won't help your reputation, either!"

"Maelle, I'm not poor…just…not rich," I assured her, reaching out for her. She cringed away. "And I wasn't lying! I never even _told_ you about my income!" I added.

Maelle whipped out her cell phone. "See this?" she demanded, her finger-feathers hovering over a button on it. "It's me"—she pressed it—"deleting you from my speed dial, _forever_!" she screeched. Then she pressed another button. "Hello, Pecan? Yeah, it's Maelle. Listen, duckling, you were so right! About Serena? Yeah—total wannabe! I just found out; she's _poor_! I know, right? Hilarious! What? Oh! Haaaahaaahaaa, that's so true, duckling! Mmmm? No, I'm not doing anything…sure! Be right over!" Maelle quacked and slammed her phone shut.

"Come on, Maelle, don't get all worked up over it!" I begged, exasperated.

Maelle just snorted at me and stalked away towards Pecan's house. "Maelle! Ma_elle_! MAELLE!" I shouted after her. But she didn't turn once.

I sighed and turned back to Darwin. "So…I'm moving?"

"Derrrr…um, yes. To, uh, Moontown. Derrr…I'll call a cab, uh, I guess," he slurred and waddled inside. Probably to go use my telephone.

I groaned and sat on a tree stump—it was the only thing to sit on—Moontown? I thought, cupping my chin in my hands. Gag me.


	2. Elle oh Elle

Moontown Outskirts

Taxi Cab

November 7th

"You gotta boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"What's your name?"

"Um…Elle."

"Where'd you move from?"

"Uh…Pikatown."

"Humph. Never heard of it."

"It's a very…small town. Only a few residents."

"Like who?"

"Um…there's a guy named Rodeo…and…um…Moe…?"

"Oh, Moe! He moved from Moontown a long time ago. How's he been?"

"Fine."

"What's your boyfriend's name?"

"Bill." I lied instantly.

"Bill? What kind of a name is Bill?" The suggestive cabbie, Kap'n, grunted.

"He's a duck." I sniffed matter-of-factly.

"Is he, now! Well, I beg your pardon. I'm a quacky man myself," Kap'n chuckled, his green feathers ruffling.

"Huh." I replied lightly.

"What's with the light luggage, little lass? Only visiting, are ya?" Kap'n wondered.

"No. I like to pack lightly." I lied.

"Got any friends in Moontown?"

"Janie. My new roommate." I answered stiffly.

"Ah, Janie! Moved here some time ago. Just before Moe left. Had a little run-in with some girl…Jade, was it? Ah, well. She's been yearning' for a new roomy, lassie…as am I, eh?" Kap'n implied with a raised-eyebrow he probably meant to be attractive. Not exactly the word I had in mind. Something along the lines of…PERVERT!

"That's a shame." I simply said.

"Oh, I see how it is. So attached to your boyfriend, eh?"

"I guess so."

"Well, then…got any friends? Sisters?" Kap'n asked.

"Just one…" I began with a smirk. "She's a duck, such as yourself. Her name's Maelle. I'll give you her address." I offered kindly.

"Well! Thanks!"

"Anytime." I said.

"Looks like we're here," Kap'n sighed, tipping his hat.

"Thanks for the ride, Kap'n," I thanked and stepped out of the taxi. I looked around at the blue sky. I was standing in front of a huge post-office like building. I sighed and walked towards it.

"Elle? Elle!" Kap'n shouted from his car, but I didn't turn. My name wasn't Elle, so obviously he was acknowledging a different person.

I pushed through the doors, rousing the attention of a white duck standing behind a red counter and an ancient-looking turtle standing in front of her. "Oh!" the duck gasped. "You must be Serena, the girl moving into Janie's house? I'm Pelly, the day-time manager of the post-office." She greeted kindly.

"And I'm…" The tortoise paused to take a wheezing cough. "…Tortimer, the mayor of Moontown. Pleasure to meet you, Serena." He greeted in a raspy voice, taking a shaky step forward, supported by his cane, and squinted at me through half-moon spectacles. He extended a trembling hand, the green skin folded with age.

"Nice to meet you, too," I replied and took it, giving it a shake before releasing. I turned to Pelly. "I guess I'll need to get to Janie's house, then," I implied.

"Oh, that's right! Just step over here, Serena," Pelly requested and stepped away from the red counter to the green counter sitting left of it. I complied. "Here's a map—courtesy of Tom Nook!" she giggled, while passing a rolled up piece of paper over the counter. "The green dot is Janie's house. The blue dots are everyone else's houses. The red dots are the shops and the purple dot is the post-office. Everyone's house is marked by name. Okay?" Pelly explained.

"Got it, thanks," I sighed, opening the map. The shops were just north of where I was, and Janie's house was a little way east from them, a bit north from the long river dividing the town in half.

"I hope you enjoy your stay in Moontown!" Pelly chirped, grinning.

"Doubt it," I said under my breath.

"What was that, Serena?" Tortimer wheezed.

"Nothing," I lied with a quick smile. "Thanks." I glanced at Pelly and then Tortimer and exited the post-office.

I followed a dirt path lined by many peach trees until I reached a plaza inhabited by two shops: Able Sisters (it was a chain), and Nookington's. There was a large bulletin board in front of the two.

Curiously, I walked up to the bulletin board and looked at the latest notice tacked up. It said…

_Written by Janie:_

_Listen up, everybody! Since Barbara left, I'm already getting a new roommate! Her name's Serena, and Barbara said that she really seems like the kind of girl we need! She sounds like she'd get along with us well. Twiggy especially, Barbara said! The night she comes, I'd like to throw a small get-together at my—I mean, OUR house in honor of her! Please come, everyone! It's potluck! ___

I felt a little guilty when I read the enthusiasm-exuding message by Janie. I sighed ruefully and continued on, following another dirt path out of the plaza. Eventually I came to a small wood house with a dark red roof. There was a chimney billowing smoke out of its gaping mouth and a big fat WELCOME foot-mat at the doorstep. Obviously Janie's house.

I grimaced and walked up to the wood-paneled door, giving it a few light raps. I tapped my foot impatiently as I waited. What was taking Janie so long?

Finally, the door opened. I widened my eyes—for Janie was _human_. I had never met another human before! I very well knew they existed, but never _met_ any. She had simple brown hair; no bangs, but the hair was slightly curled up at the ends. She was wearing a tulip shirt with a clover in her hair. She looked confused at first—then her face lit up.

"Serena!" she gasped, grinning wildly.

"Yeah, you must be Janie," I said with a quick smile.

"Come in, come in, Serena! I've been expecting you!" Janie insisted, leading me in with her arm.

"'Kay," I complied, stepping across the threshold. There were deep blue floor-tiles and a deep blue wall, with royal wallpaper. There was a small bed in one corner, its head-board resting against a cabana cabinet. There were many pictures of people—her friends, no doubt—along one wall. I made out the names written on some of them: Twiggy; Boone; Chevre; Lucy; Cyrano; names I would soon know the possessors of. Joy.

Near the pictures were a stereo and a small tree. The room wasn't very big; large as my living room back…home. I shuddered at the memory.

"Are you cold, Serena? Don't worry, I just started dinner. The oven'll warm the place up," Janie jerked her thumb in the direction of a small adjoining room. I recognized a wood-oven with a crackling fire burning. Four burners on top of it harbored pots suggesting, by the smell, a delicious meal indeed.

"I'm fine," I lied.

"We're having beef stew—hope you're not vegan!" Janie giggled leading me towards a staircase. We climbed up and up and up…until we reached a smaller room with a tiny window. A makeshift bed was shoved into one corner, with a telephone by the window…but that was it. My room—no, my _closet_ was ten times bigger than this back home!

"I'm sorry—I really am. This room is all I have available right now…But you can always spruce it up a bit with some decorations, and wallpaper…oh, and a tree would look so nice right about there!" Janie pointed at the corner opposite of my 'bed'.

"No, no, really, it's fine. You're right…I love it, Janie," I fibbed, remembering her enthusiastic notice, and gave her a firm hug.

Thankfully, she hugged me back. "I'm so glad you're my new roommate, Serena! By the way, Tom Nook—he owns that shop, Nookington's—wanted me to send you to him as soon as your settled in…but, by the looks of it, you don't need to!" she said, pulling away with a smile.

"Huh? What makes you think that?" I asked as Janie stepped for the stairs. And then it hit me.

"Your luggage. You don't have any! But that's okay—more room for more stuff!" Janie cheered, ever so optimistic.

I had left my luggage in the taxi. That was why Kap'n was calling for Elle. As far as he was concerned, _I_ was Elle! That's what I told him my name was! Ugh, I was _such_ an idiot!

"Are you okay, Serena? Your face is turning reddish-purple," Janie observed with a concerned expression.

I tried to relax. "I'm fine. I think I'll go see Tom Nook now," I breathed, following Janie downstairs.

Someone…please, _please_ kill me!?


End file.
